Lebkuchen Bars

These Lebkuchen Bars capture all the cozy, spiced flavors of traditional German gingerbread in an easy-to-bake bar format. Packed with honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and citrus zest, they are chilled to develop rich flavor, baked until tender, and finished with a bright orange-ginger glaze.

Lebkuchen Bars

Ingredients:

Step-By-Step Directions:

1. Melt the base: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, and unsalted butter. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly until the sugars dissolve, then remove from heat and let cool.

2. Whisk dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger.

3. Combine wet ingredients: Once the honey mixture has cooled, whisk in the egg, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, orange zest, vanilla extract, and sliced almonds.

4. Mix the dough: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined.

5. Chill the dough: Cover the bowl, pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the dough, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.

6. Prep and press: Let the chilled dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Press the sticky dough into an even layer in the dish.

7. Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Make the icing: While the bars bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, orange juice, grated ginger, and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth.

9. Glaze, cool, and slice: Allow the baked bars to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, spread the icing evenly over the warm bars, let cool completely to set the glaze, and slice into squares.